The Patrick Administration deserves great credit for its efforts to make its budget as transparent as possible. Nonetheless, a 46 billion dollar spending program is intrinsically complex, so here are answers to a few questions that I found myself asking as I worked through the presentation. How big is the budget? The financial statement section shows proposed …
Continue reading “Understanding the Governor’s Budget Presentation”
Wall Street has applauded our state-level efforts to manage long-term liabilities — the rating agencies are giving the Commonwealth its highest ever bond ratings. But we should consider carefully whether we should accept Wall Street’s metrics for financial health — not that I doubt the need for financial discipline, but rather that we should, perhaps, …
I have recently received a number emails calling on me to take a “People’s Pledge” to transparency. The People’s Pledge itself very much reflects my personal approach to legislating and I do hereby affirm the pledge immediately appearing below: I swear that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of State Legislator to …
The Senate Press Release regarding the Military Bond Bill appears below. I was pleased to support the bill, which passed with only two dissenting votes. Opponents expressed concerns about the overall balance of military vs. peaceful governmental expenditures in the country. This bill authorizes a relatively modest ($177 million) multi-year spending program for economic development …
The Senate press Release regarding the Title Clearing Bill appears below — I was pleased to support this bill in the vote today. ===================================== Senate Passes Bill to Protect Homeowners BOSTON – The Senate on Thursday unanimously passed legislation to restore the titles of foreclosed properties after thousands of foreclosure sales in Massachusetts were determined …
Kids are kids — emerging research confirms that capacity for self-control doesn’t fully develop until well after the age of 18. That insight, taken to heart, has far-reaching implications for the way we respond to youthful misbehavior. The MacArthur Foundation has funded much of the recent research. The Foundation was troubled by the trend in …
